Living Sustainably

While you are at UMass Amherst you are part of a community motivated to live more sustainably. Take advantage of the resources to learn about and develop your own sustainable practices. Learn more about SustainableUMass and be a part of this community effort!

New2U Collection & Fall Tag Sale

New2U is the sustainable move-out collection and tag sale for UMass. Look out for details about collection at the end of each spring semester, and for the tag sale at the start of the fall semester. During Spring Move-Out, New2U will place collection tents across all residential areas of campus. Please don’t feed the trash monster! Donate your unwanted items to New2U!

​Want to help make this year's New2U Move-Out Collection a success? SIGN UP HERE!

We also offer FREE extended stay in Residence Halls for students who volunteer from Friday May 11th- Sunday May 13th. Email umass.new2U@gmail.com if you are interested!​

Staying Hydrated

Last year, hydration stations located in the residence halls saved over 1 MILLION plastic bottles! Help us to keep this streak going and always use your reusable bottle when possible.

Don’t buy bulky packs of bottled water! Save time, money, and resources by using the filtered water in your hall!

Saving Energy

UMass has the potential to compound the positive actions of our students and produce lasting change that will help curb climate change. As a student of our University, you are responsible for your own actions which will either aid in our commitment to sustainability, or slow our progress.

The future of the planet and the health and happiness of the people around us depend on students like you to realize the importance of conservation in whichever way you can. Turn off your lights, unplug your electronics, and shorten your showers whenever possible.

Products

Keep yourself and the planet healthy by purchasing organic, fair trade, local and humane whenever possible. Be aware of “greenwashing”, a marketing tactic used by companies to appear more green. Check out the skin-deep database to determine which health and body care products are safe and which you should avoid. Consider purchasing Energy Star electronics and appliances, a smart power strip, a drying rack, and LED bulbs to save energy in your room.

Any questions or concerns about composting in your apartment can be emailed to living@umass.edu.

Eco-Rep Program

Eco-Rep is a great first step to get involved with sustainability at UMass. Located in every residential area on campus, Eco-Rep is a 2-credit, student-led, and dialogue-based course engaging with issues of sustainability and ways to make a difference.

Classes meet once per week on Tuesday or Wednesday nights (depending on your residential area). Learn about additional opportunities to get involved in sustainability efforts on campusand consider taking the course a second time to be considered for a facilitator position so you can teach an Eco-Rep class of your own!

RecycleMania

UMass is competes in a national competition between colleges and universities to improve recycling (and reduce waste) on campuses every spring. The competition measures recycling across the campus so be sure to recycle appropriate materials whenever possible wherever you are on campus.

Residential Life, the Residence Hall Association, and the Office of Waste Management partner to host a campus wide competition between residence halls!

How does it work?
All you need to do is recycle appropriate materials in your residence hall as much as possible. Because the competition measures the recycling rate (total recycling divided by total waste produced) there are two ways you can improve your residence hall’s chances of winning:

Increase the amount of materials that are recycled

Decrease the amount of trash produced

Be sure to check out the recycling guidelines for what is/isn’t recyclable. Some strategies to reduce your overall waste include:

Dine In! While take-out containers on campus are compostable, compost bins are only available in and around dining facilities/retail outlets. Once you leave that area these containers become trash.

Invest in Reusables! Use the hydration stations to refill your reusable water bottle rather than buying bottled water. Also consider keeping reusable cutlery and a cloth napkin in your backpack for when you are on the go.

Repair & Repurpose! Repair damaged items rather than replacing and find creative new uses for no-longer used/needed items (an old t-shirt can become a reusable tote bag, etc.). Seek inspiration from the internet!